title: Association between areca-stimulated vimentin expression and the progression of head and neck cancers.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Areca nut chewing is a common oral habit of Asians that is closely associated with the high incidence of head and neck carcinoma. The purpose of this study was to investigate the impacts of areca nut chewing on neoplastic process of head and neck carcinoma.
  
  
  METHODS
  Head and neck carcinoma cells were treated with areca nut extract to perceive the phenotypic impacts. Tumor tissues were analyzed with immunohistochemistry (IHC) to understand the association between areca-associated molecular changes and clinical variables.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Upon treatment with areca nut extract, carcinoma cells showed the increase of vimentin. The activation of extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK)/cyclooxygenase (COX)-2/prostaglandin (PGE)-2 cascade underlay the upregulation. These cells also exhibited the enhancement of migration and invasion. By knocking down COX-2 and vimentin expression, the increase of cell mobility was reversed. Tumor exhibiting extensive vimentin and/or COX-2 expression displayed a significantly worse disease-associated survival than contrast groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Areca-modulated vimentin expression enhanced the progression of head and neck carcinoma.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Oral Biology, School of Dentistry, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Yu-Hsin
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Tseng
authors.forename: Kuo-Wei
authors.initials: KW
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.forename: Cheng-Chieh
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Chung-Ji
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Shou-Yen
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Kao
authors.forename: Tsung-Yun
authors.initials: TY
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Shu-Chun
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Lin
mesh_terms: D001114:Areca / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000378:metabolism; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000209:etiology / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology; D002465:Cell Movement / Q000187:drug effects; D051546:Cyclooxygenase 2 / Q000378:metabolism; D018450:Disease Progression; D004789:Enzyme Activation / Q000187:drug effects; D048049:Extracellular Signal-Regulated MAP Kinases / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000209:etiology / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009361:Neoplasm Invasiveness; D010641:Phenotype; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000077195:Squamous Cell Carcinoma of Head and Neck; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured; D015854:Up-Regulation / Q000187:drug effects; D014746:Vimentin / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D010936:Plant Extracts; D014746:Vimentin; D051546:Cyclooxygenase 2; D048049:Extracellular Signal-Regulated MAP Kinases